Hobby Course
The way to a great business? She went with a hobby.
Thirteen years ago, Shelli Gardner was a stay-at-home mom
looking for an opportunity that would give her a flexible schedule
and let her work at home. Intrigued by direct sales, Gardner and
her sister, LaVonne Crosby, created a company to satisfy their
business needs and fuel their creativity, turning to their favorite
hobby, rubber stamping, for inspiration. Stampin' Up! Inc. was
born.
The company now manufactures and sells exclusive lines of rubber
stamps and accessories through its 18,000 independent consultants,
or "demonstrators." With more than 400 stamp sets and a
variety of accessories in its 250-page catalog, sales for 2000 were
just under $100 million. "We have some demonstrators who make
over $100,000 a year-easy," says Gardner, 39.
With no prior business experience, Gardner and Crosby began
their adventure out of their Las Vegas homes. After a few rocky
start-up years, they were advised to prepare for bankruptcy. But
thanks to a careful recovery and the decision to manufacture their
own line of stamps, they got back on track. In 1996, they moved
their headquarters to Salt Lake City. Two years later, Crosby left
the business to pursue other interests.
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With 30 percent annual growth in the past three years, Gardner
anticipates sales will top $120 million for 2001. She also plans to
bring Stampin' Up! to Canada by 2002.
"[Stampin' Up!] is whatever someone wants to make of
it. Some demonstrators work part time to supplement their
families' incomes; for others, it's a lucrative, full-time
business," says Gardner. "That's the joy of this
business."
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